The invention relates to reinforced plastic structures.
Reinforcement structures for plastics used, e.g., in the manufacture of boat hulls, automobile fenders, and bathroom fixtures generally may include structural reinforcements formed of continuous strands of glass, often referred to as continuous strand mats, and non-structural reinforcements formed of chopped strands of glass, bonded together by an adhesive, e.g., a powder or emulsion binder, often referred to as chopped strand mats.
Structural reinforced plastics are typically formed from the continuous mats by closed mold processing which involves laying the mat in a cavity formed between two molds and injecting a resin system into the cavity. Non-structural reinforced plastics are usually formed by open mold processing which involves applying resin to the mat placed over a mold surface and curing it to form the finished product. Typically, in both closed and open mold processing, a binder, e.g., hot melt polyester powder binder or emulsion binder, holds the strands together when the mat is laid in the molds and then dissolves upon contact with the resin.